6 ways to improve posture while programming

Working in the IT industry, it’s impossible to avoid sedentary work. The office environment requires many such tasks, especially desk work, computer use, or in-person and online meetings. Technological innovation is contributing to increased sedentary behavior across the world. Unfortunately, prolonged sitting and lack of physical activity may cause many problems and negatively impact our health.

Office workers spend at least 6 hours of their 8-hour shift sitting, which accounts for around 75% of their working time ^[1]. Considering today’s world, there is also a transition towards more passive recreation. After work, we often lie on the couch binge-watching our favorite tv show or stay at our desks to read, write, plan the next day, or do other things while still sitting. As a result, the average office worker sits for about 15 hours daily, and it is easy to count that it is almost two-thirds of the day ^[2]. Not to mention that our sitting positions often look exactly like in the picture below ^[3].

Due to prolonged computer use at work and home, it is highly likely to experience adverse effects. Studies show that overall discomfort associated with sitting may occur around 42 minutes of sitting and increases significantly after about 90 minutes of sitting. Staying in one position for a long time can cause neck, shoulder, and back pain, decrease flexibility, affect balance, and even make breathing harder. The pain in these areas and other inconveniences of such a lifestyle may negatively affect simple daily living activities ^[4].

Apart from basic exercises that you can perform while working, such as stretching, often switching your sitting positions, or taking brief walks every 30 minutes, it is highly recommended to take care of your good posture after work. It is best to do exercises that focus on body awareness and strengthen your core. There are six activities that are perfect for this.

Yoga

It is often said that yoga is only for people who can fold into a harmonica, but it isn’t true. Yoga is for everyone, and regular practice can improve your flexibility and strength. It can also bring more of your attention to breathing, which is very beneficial and can help reduce stress, anxiety, and even relieve pain. There are many styles of yoga, for example, Hatha yoga, Ashtanga yoga, Vinyasa yoga, Kundalini yoga, Power yoga, etc. Some are more energetic and fast-paced, whereas others are calmer and slower. You can easily find many lessons online. The only thing you have to do is try some of them and decide which one you like best.

Regardless of the yoga types, there are some poses that will significantly help you improve your posture. The best asanas to work on that are ^[5]:

• Child’s pose – lengthens and stretches your spine,
• Cat and Cow – increases spinal flexibility and mobility,
• Downward Facing Dog – strengthens the arms, shoulders, and core,
• Cobra pose – strengthens your back,
• Supine Twist – relieves tension in the shoulders, chest, and back.

Dancing

Dancing incredibly improves body control and overall balance by strengthening muscles and increasing flexibility. Because of practicing dancing, you can also become more graceful and confident on a daily basis.

The first thing that comes to mind is ballet or ballroom dance. It may seem neat and effortless until you try it yourself. Most of all, these types of dances engage and strengthen the entire body, lengthen the spine, and work on different muscle groups. In this case, you can also pursue your artistic side, so developing the proper posture is a bit of a side effect.

Of course, your choice is not limited to that. There are plenty of types of dances — contemporary, modern, hip-hop, jazz, folk, tap dancing, you name it — and you can choose one according to your interests. On the other hand, if you’re not up to finding any dancing class and prefer to stay at home, there is also an option for you. You can play plenty of dancing games or shuffle to your favorite music within four walls. Anything works as long as you don’t sit and slouch.

Ice skating

It’s all about balance and coordination. Can you imagine being supported by only two thin pieces of metal? Not to mention a very slippery surface where all it takes is a brief moment of inattention to stumble. Learning to stand upright on ice can tone your muscles and improve control over your body.

When you skate, you use most of your body and train almost all your muscles. Your legs keep you moving, but the core and arms — which are involved in stabilizing your body and help you turn — are no less important. Holding your back straight is crucial for any moves, spins, and jumps. The whole body needs to be synchronized and strong to perform mesmerizing ice skating poses. In addition, as with dance, you can become artistically fulfilled and even forget it’s part of a hard workout.

If there are no ice rinks in your area or it is off-season time, try rollerblades or roller skates. The basics are similar and can help you improve your posture, like ice skating. Just don’t forget about a helmet and other safety equipment!

Pilates

Pilates is specifically designed to strengthen the body, especially by bringing awareness to its center. It may seem similar to yoga, but pilates focuses primarily on core strength and muscles such as lower and upper back, glutes, pelvic floor, and hips, which are crucial to achieving a good posture. The key is to make our body capable of supporting everyday movements that are neglected due to a sedentary lifestyle. It can also help relieve tension in your shoulders, back, and legs.

These are perfect exercises for those who don’t like to sweat and pant. Pilates is based on the “quality over quantity” rule. The most important are precision and slow repetition. You don’t have to put your blood and sweat to feel the change in your body and correct muscle imbalances.

Pilates can also be an addition to other training, such as dancing or skating. Combining these activities is a great idea to boost your progress.

Swimming

Swimming is a perfect way to work on your posture because it engages nearly all your muscle groups. It increases core stability, especially by strengthening back and shoulders. By strengthening muscles that support your backbone, you will have the stability to walk with better posture and less strain will be placed on your spinal column. The resistance of the water against the body’s movements helps build muscles and makes it possible to develop proper posture more quickly.

It has been observed that professional swimmers can have a slightly hunched posture, commonly named “Swimmer’s Slouch.” It is a result of extending back muscles and tightening chest muscles, mainly because of training the front crawl. Be aware of your body’s work, but don’t worry, this condition shouldn’t affect beginners and those who don’t train professionally every day.

Gym exercises

You can also train your back and core stability at the gym. There is a lot of equipment that can help you with correcting your posture. Deadlifts, for example, when performed correctly, strengthen your posterior chain and spine, keeping your posture upright. On the other hand, hanging lat stretch, as the name suggests, stretches your back and arms and improves mobility.

There is a risk of injury if you’re unfamiliar with the correct way to do the exercises. Be careful and aware and, if possible, train with a professional who will help you achieve your goal healthily.

Conclusion

Sedentary work is unavoidable, but there are things we can do to protect ourselves a bit from the harmful effects of sitting. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults aged 18 to 64 get at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week ^[6]. A combination of these two types of activities is also a good solution.

By replacing a sedentary lifestyle with physical activity, we can reduce the harmful effects of prolonged and frequent sitting on the body. If you don’t have any possibility to do such long workouts, remember that doing some physical activity is better than doing none. Try to match the activities to your abilities, take small steps, and don’t forget that it’s your health that’s at stake.